Gaze Upon Jesus
Experiencing Christ’s Childhood through the Eyes of Women
by Kelly M. Wahlquiest
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Pub Date 24 Aug 2018 | Archive Date 2 Nov 2018
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Description
What if you had walked beside the Virgin Mary from the Annunciation to the point at which she and Joseph found Jesus in the temple? How might seeing Christ as a child impact you and your faith?
WINE: Women In the New Evangelization offers its second, six-week scripture study, this time following the infancy and early years of Christ as seen through the eyes of Mary and other familiar and imagined women in the gospels.
Founder Kelly Wahlquist and ten other members of WINE uniquely blend scripture reflections, imaginative encounters, and visio divina “sacred seeing” with practical spirituality and discussion questions that will help you take a prayerful and creative journey through Advent and the Christmas season.
Not much is known about the childhood of Jesus, but the Gospels highlight six key moments in his early life:
· the angel Gabriel proclaiming Jesus’ birth to Mary at the Annunciation
a pregnant Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem the presentation of Jesus in the temple the flight of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus to Egypt discovering the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple
Week by week, you will dig deep into each of the scriptural vignettes of Jesus’ early life and grow in your faith as you learn about virtues such as humility, patience, charity, reverence, prudence, and courage.
Each chapter uses an image that allows you to practice visio divina, the ancient practice of praying with sacred art. The images are included in an eight-page, full-color insert.
Gaze Upon Jesus will appeal to women who want to deepen their relationship with Jesus during Advent. Contributors to this inspiring scripture study include: Alyssa Bormes, Sarah Christmyer, Mary Healy, Maria Morera Johnson, Stephanie Landsem, Elizabeth Lev, Joan Lewis, Deborah Savage, Kelly Wahlquist, Katie Warner, and Carol Younger. Popular Catholic media personality Teresa Tomeo, also a member of WINE, wrote the foreword for the book.
As an individual or group study, Gaze Upon Jesus is a memorable way to encounter the God who sent his Son to show us his loving Father’s heart.
A Note From the Publisher
Wahlquist is the author of Created to Relate, the editor of Walk In Her Sandals, and a contributing writer for WINE. Wahlquist leads women’s pilgrimages through Italy and Ireland and travels around the country speaking on the New Evangelization. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, Andy, and their children.
Teresa Tomeo is a bestselling Catholic author, speaker, syndicated Catholic radio show host, and journalist. She is the author of Intimate Graces.
Other contributors:
Alyssa Bormes • Sarah Christmyer • Mary Healy • Maria Morera Johnson • Stephanie Landsem • Elizabeth Lev • Joan Lewis • Deborah Savage • Kelly Wahlquist • Katie Warner • Carol Younger
Advance Praise
"Recalling Pope Benedict’s observation that an encounter with the beautiful is like the wound of an arrow that strikes our core and opens our eyes, I am confident that this volume, in its creative appeal to the heart and the imagination, will be a useful tool for opening the spiritual eyes of readers desiring to see and know the Christ child."
Most Rev. Bernard A. Hebda
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
“Gaze Upon Jesus is a unique study tool for Catholic women who long to draw close to the manger in Bethlehem and the Holy Family’s home in Nazareth. With guided meditations and prayerful reflections, this book helps you encounter Jesus anew—the way Mary and Joseph did in Christ’s early years.”
Edward Sri
Catholic theologian, author, and speaker
“This book will be a breakthrough for many women. The beauty in this book is revealed in the unveiling of God, who is deeply personable and desires to share his very life with each of us.”
Michelle Nash
President of the Military Council of Catholic Women Worldwide
“This book beautifully articulates the profound longing of the human heart: to love and be loved. Readers are led into scriptural mysteries to develop the vital art of ‘gazing’ through the feminine heart. I believe this work will be a healing tool in the New Evangelization, and pray that countless women will savor it as they read. I enthusiastically recommend it.”
Kathleen Beckman
Catholic author
President and cofounder of Foundation of Prayer for Priests
“This book offers fresh, insightful meditations on the earthly life of Mary that are at the same time delightful and instructive. Gaze Upon Jesus calls us to learn to live life in this world in a way which can lead us safely home to God in the footsteps of Mary.”
Sr. Ann Shields, S.G.L.
Renewal Ministries speaker, author, and host of Food for the Journey
"Gaze Upon Jesus is one-stop shopping for the mind, the heart, and the senses for the woman who seeks to know, love, and serve Jesus in the rigors of everyday life. Through storytelling, scripture, and sacred images, it invites the modern woman to slow down in order to speed up once again to be an intentional disciple. Under the perpetual gaze of the Blessed Mother, the book gives the reader eyes to see spiritual truths and embrace the temporal world as strong Christian women modeled after Mary. It led me to a deeper communion with Christ, his Church, the saints, and my earthly family. Every Catholic woman intent on knowing Jesus should have a copy!”
Martha Reichert
President of ENDOW
“Using icons and other sacred images has always been a viable way to enhance our contemplative prayer. This book not only allows the reader to gaze upon Jesus through some beautiful visio divina but it also allows this gaze to be enhanced by a women’s perspective. Enjoy!”
Rev. Kevin Lixey, L.C.
International Director of Patron of the Arts
Vatican Museums
“My hope for you in entering into this study is that wherever you may be in your faith life, by reading this book you will be renewed and refreshed.”
From the foreword by Teresa Tomeo
Syndicated radio host and author of Intimate Graces
“Beautifully written, rooted in the infancy narratives, and ingeniously imagined and structured, Gaze Upon Jesus is a marvelous encounter with the Child Jesus through feminine eyes—and the six key virtues we all can learn from it. Highly recommended.”
Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.
Archbishop of Philadelphia
Available Editions
EDITION | Paperback |
ISBN | 9781594718298 |
PRICE | US$16.95 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
To say that I devoured this book would be a gross understatement. What a beautiful study! I loved the way that it was written and the way that each chapter was laid out and set up. (When a book begins with a "How to Use This Book," there is a good chance that you're in for something good.) GAZE UPON JESUS was the perfect companion to use along with my Bible, to go deeper into God's word and my relationship with Jesus. The book itself felt like a "coffee date" with the writers. As if we were casually and intimately discussing the Jesus that we love, while digging through Scripture and learning about Visio Devina. (Which I had never heard of!) My only regret is not having the physical copy of the book in front of me, to better appreciate the beautiful images. Highly, highly recommend.
The remarkable group of women who gave us Walk In Her Sandals for meditation at Easter have given us a new devotional with the same fortuitous combination of scripture study, fiction, and thoughtful introspection. This new book looks at the women involved in the biblical accounts of Christ’s birth and childhood for contemplation during Advent.
Each study centers around a virtue—humility, patience, charity, reverence and prudence—modeled by the biblical women and how they should be exemplified in our own lives. The fictional stories of Mary, Elizabeth, a servant girl at the inn, and the Prophetess Anna bring the character vividly to life and help us to understand the historical and cultural context of Christ’s coming as well as the deep emotions women like us bring to the events. One section of each chapter, called visio divina, contemplates fine art portraying the annunciation, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, etc. Dr. Elizabeth Lov directs our attention to details in the art that bring out the emotions and reactions of the people represented. As in the first book, the various authors and approaches come together in a wonderful unity of purpose.
Although Jesus’ mother Mary is present in the story of Christ’s passion and resurrection, she is much more central to the biblical stories of his birth and childhood. For that reason the differences between Catholic and Protestant points-of-view are more evident in this Advent devotional than in the authors’ previous work. However, the Protestant woman who can look past Catholic terminology, emphases, and occasional use of the Apochrypha will find much to consider and apply to her own life as she prepares herself to worship our one Lord Jesus Christ at this time of year.
[I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in return for my honest opinion.]
Have you ever wondered how Mary felt at the Annunciation? Have you ever wondered how Elizabeth felt? This book is full of lovely stories and exercises to help women realise the significance of Mary and to follow her example. These exercises include many examples of the ancient spiritual practice of visio divina using beautiful medieval paintings and there are also discussions for groups and refelctions on praying.
Many people today regard Mary as passive and submissive, but she is actually a figure of "cosmic significance," according to this book by Kelly M. Wahlquiest, and, in choosing to be like her, we can become more powerful as well, and live lives of freedom and authenticity. One way to do this is to imagine going back in time, and imagining what it was like for her. This us to see Jesus as she did and to be closer to God in our hearts and lives. This is a book worth reading for all Christians, not only Catholics, although Catholics may find it easier to understand.
I found the exercises of visio divina difficult on my black and white kindle, so I am certainly thinking of buying Gaze Upon Jesus.
I received this free ebook from Net Galley in return for an honest review
An excellent Advent read for your book club or Bible study, but I wouldn't limit it to that. What I like about this particular format is the variety of ways they approach each part of the Christmas story. Devotional, imaginative telling, theological insights, prayer, application, Visio Divina and questions. This book was written by a Catholic group of women.
Gaze Upon Jesus is the *perfect* tool for a Christian woman's Advent study. In six sections examining six virtues, the reader meditates on a separate event (i.e, the Annunciation, the Visitation) starting with scripture but including analysis, a fictional story to bring the events to life, reflection, group questions, and the study of sacred art. The addition of the artwork and Stephanie Landsem's wondeful storytelling set this apart from other studies.
Ideal for groups but fruitful for individuals too!